Diwali, one of the major religious festivals inHinduism,Jainism, andSikhism, lasting for five days from the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika. (The corresponding dates in theGregorian calendar usually fall in late October and November.) The name is derived from the Sanskrit termdipavali, meaning “row of lights.” Thefestival generally symbolizes the victory of light over darkness.

History

Diwali developed over centuries from local traditions that occur on the days surrounding the new moon day of Karttika. The most ancient mention of the holiday can be found in theKamasutra of Vatsyayana (3rd centuryce). In that instance it is called Yaksharatri, or night ofyakshas (nature spirits led byKubera, the god of wealth). ThePuranas (400–1500) provide the mostcomprehensive picture of Diwali, but the festival is also mentioned in other sources, such as in the local Purana fromKashmir calledNilamata Purana (c. 7th century), in theYashastilaka by theJain monk Somadeva (10th century), and in the 11th-century account of Indianculture andscienceTaḥqīq mā li-l-hind by theMuslim scholaral-Bīrūnī.

The Puranas describe various versions of a lamp festival in autumn. Although the specifics of the holiday vary in these ancient texts, the general sense of the modern five-day Diwali festival and the different meanings of the days can be discerned from their accounts. For example, multiple Puranas suggest that the lamps are lit in worship ofYama, god of the dead, on the day preceding the new moon day, which some scholars link with the story ofKrishna’s defeat of Narakasura (“Hell Demon”) celebrated on this day. TheBhavishyottara Purana describes the new moon day (amavasya) as a day of festivities, but at midnight the women are said to drive out the goddess Alakshmi (“Misfortune”) and propitiateLakshmi (“Fortune”).

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Festivities

Observances of Diwali differ depending on region and tradition. AmongHindus the mostwidespread custom is the lighting ofdiyas (small earthenware lamps filled with oil) on the night of the new moon to invite the presence ofLakshmi, the goddess of wealth. InBengal the goddessKali is worshipped. In northern India the festival also celebrates the royal homecoming ofRama (along withSita, Lakshmana, andHanuman) to the city of Ayodhya after defeatingRavana, the 10-headed king of the demons, thus connecting the festival with the holiday ofDussehra. In southern India the festival marksKrishna’s defeat of the demon (asura) Narakasura. Some celebrate Diwali as a commemoration of the marriage of Lakshmi andVishnu, while others observe it as the birthday of Lakshmi.

During the festival,diyas are lit and placed in rows along the parapets of temples and houses and set adrift on rivers and streams. Homes are decorated, and floors inside and out are covered withrangolis, consisting of elaborate designs made of colored rice, sand, or flower petals. The doors and windows of houses are kept open in the hope that Lakshmi will find her way inside and bless the residents with wealth and success.

The names and events of the individual days of Diwali are as follows:

• The first day, known asDhanteras, is dedicated to cleaning homes and purchasing small items of gold. Lakshmi and Kubera are the focus of worship on that day.
• The second day, calledNaraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali,commemorates Krishna’s destruction of Narakasura; prayers are also offered for the souls of ancestors.
• On the third day,Lakshmi Puja, families seek blessings from Lakshmi to ensure their prosperity; lightdiyas, candles, and fireworks; and visit temples. It is the main day of the Diwali festival and occurs on the new moon day.
• The fourth day, known asGovardhan Puja, Balipratipada, or Annakut, commemorates Krishna’s feat of lifting up a mountain, Govardhan Hill, to protect the local cowherds in defiance ofIndra, the king of the gods, who had sent a torrential rain upon them. It is also the first day of Karttika and the start of thenew year in the Vikrama (Hindu)calendar.Merchants perform religious ceremonies and open new account books.
• The fifth day, calledBhai Dooj, Bhai Tika, or Bhai Bij, celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. On that day sisters pray for the success and well-being of their brothers, similar to the holidayRaksha Bandhan.

Diwali is generally a time for visiting, exchanging gifts, wearing new clothes, feasting, feeding the poor, and setting off fireworks (though such displays have been restricted to limit noise and other environmental pollution). Gambling, especially in the form of card games, is encouraged as a way of ensuring good luck in the coming year and in remembrance of thegames of dice played byShiva andParvati onMount Kailash or similar contests betweenRadha and Krishna. Traditionally, in honor of Lakshmi, the female player always wins.

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To learn more about the many festivals that are part of celebrating DiwaliseeDiwali and Beyond.

Beyond Hinduism

Diwali is also an important festival inJainism. For the Jaincommunity, the festival commemorates the enlightenment and liberation (moksha) ofMahavira, the most recent of the JainTirthankaras, from the cycle of life and death (samsara). The lighting of the lamps celebrates the light of Mahavira’s holy knowledge.

Since the 18th century, Diwali has been celebrated inSikhism as the time ofGuru Hargobind’s return toAmritsar from captivity inGwalior—an echo of Rama’s return to Ayodhya. Residents of Amritsar light lamps throughout the city to celebrate the occasion.

Although not a primary festival ofBuddhism, Diwali is celebrated by some Buddhists as a commemoration of the day when EmperorAshokaconverted to Buddhism in the 3rd centurybce. It is observed by theVajrayana Buddhist minority among theNewar people ofNepal. They celebrate by lighting lamps, decorating temples and monasteries, and worshipping theBuddha.